How can this still happen?
by Starbase89
Summary: Tim and Abby are caught in an attack of hate and intolerance. Inspired by the recent events at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. No pairings
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I'm not sure where this is going to go yet. I was originally planning on this being a OneShot, but I don't think I can leave it like that. Takes place right after the Season 13 finale. Slight AU I suppose.**

"Abby, where are we going?"

Abby was driving, which had always made Tim uneasy. Not as uneasy as when she had the hot rod, though. He couldn't believe she had bought a Volvo!

Tim had not been in a good place lately. His relationship with Delilah had ended suddenly and painfully only weeks before and Tony had left the team and DC with his newly-discovered daughter. Too much had changed in the last month for him to fully adjust. Abby had invited him out that Friday night to check out a new club, but she wouldn't give him any details about the place.

Tim, almost forty, didn't pay much attention to clubbing anymore, not that he had more so when he was younger. Still, he enjoyed hanging out with her, especially after all that had happened in recent times. He felt like she was the only person left he could really lean on.

"We're here!" Abby said gleefully.

Tim looked up and saw the bright, multi-color sign for The Mariposa. He could hear the loud dance music through the car windows and the lights coming through every time the doors opened to let someone inside. He looked over the domed building as Abby parked the car and noticed the rainbow flag flying at the apex of the dome. He hadn't been to this kind of club in a long time.

He didn't hide the fact that he was bisexual. Abby had known since they had dated all those years ago. In fact, she seemed excited when she found out. Tim wasn't sure why. He had even told Delilah when things started getting serious. He wanted to be totally honest about who he was with the woman he loved. She had told him that she loved him regardless and that it didn't affect their relationship. He was with her. Or, at least he was.

He wasn't totally sure what had happened there. He and Delilah had just put a down payment of a condo near Dupont Circle. It was expensive, but the building was convenient to both of their offices and was well equipped for to handle her disability. They were in the process of emptying out their shared apartment when she broke into tears. Tim didn't know what had happened, but before he could find out or console her, she had left down the elevator. It wasn't until three days later that he heard from her, when she abruptly broke it off. No explanation. No nothing. He hasn't spoken to her since.

"Abby, I'm not really in the mood for this kind of place." he said, while checking out his hair in the side view mirror. "Besides, I haven't b-been to…on this side of the fence in years."

She noticed the momentary return of his seldom-heard stutter. "Don't worry, Timmy! This is just for fun! I've been wanting to check this place out since they opened last month but I didn't want to come here alone."

"But Abbs…"

"Get that stick out of you butt…" she smiled at the unintentional double entendre, "Come on, I've got the cover charge."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him along. As much as he didn't want to be there, he became self-conscious about his appearance. He had come here directly from yard. He hadn't showered and was still wearing his work clothes.

"Just let me clean myself up quick."

"You look fine, Tim. Come on!." She was practically dragging him now. _Considering he doesn't want to go in, he sure is making a fuss about how he looks_ she thought.

They headed to the entrance and eventually made it up to the door. When the got inside, the force of the volume of the music held Tim back, though Abby loved it. Tim made a beeline for the bar.

As he walked through the place, he began to notice things he thought he had forgotten about. Most of the guys here were much younger than he was, "not that that's a bad thing" he said to himself with a slight smile. _Okay, I can appreciate this place._

When they got to the bar, he ordered for both of them.

"I'll have a dirty Tanqueray Martini with three olives and my friend will have an Old Fashioned."

Abby smiled when he heard Tim ordering one of her favorite drinks. The bartender, a man nearly six feet tall with light brown hair and hazel eyes caught Tim's eye. However, the man behind the bar did not seem to notice Tim in the same way. Tim paid for the drinks, handing the Old Fashioned to Abby and taking a sip of his Martini. The sharpness of the gin and the sweet vermouth melded perfectly in his mouth and he felt himself finally begin to relax. Abby noticed and put her arm over her friend's shoulders.

"See, I told you this would be fun!"

"Yeah Abbs, thanks for taking me…" Tim was interrupted by what sounded like gunfire. He had heard it so many times before _That's definitely what it was_ he thought. But it was more rapid than he was used to hearing. _Shit, he has an automatic!_ The crowd began to scream as the sound of an automatic weapon drowned out the music. He lunged for Abby, forcing her to the floor, before standing to look for the source.

The music cut out and the fire alarm came on as the crowd scrambled for the exits, all the while the firing continued. Cries of pain and shouts of terror could be heard without interruption. People were being cut down faster than Tim had ever seen. Then he remembered that he still had his sidearm. He had come directly from the office. He pulled out the Sig and began to make his way closer to the horror with all the stealth he could manage in this chaos. He almost had sight of the lunatic when he heard a yelp in a familiar voice behind him. He turned his back to the gunman and yelled.

"Abby!" but heard no response. He turned back around to the source and got a clear shot of the scumbag who was causing so much pain, but the gunman turned to see him and fired at him.

Tim was able to get off two shots before feeling searing pain across his chest and falling to the floor. At the same time, the gunman dropped with two bullets in his heart.

It wasn't over.

 **Thanks for reading! I would really appreciate feedback!**


	2. Attention Readers

**Author's Note** : I've gotten three reviews suggesting that it is too soon to be writing about this. I disagree. I'm a 26 year old gay man and if anyone were to be offended, it would be me. I want to shed light on this horrible tragedy. I'm not making fun of anyone; It would be hypocritical. I'm doing my best to be sensitive. I'm also writing this as a sort of personal therapy to try and get through it. It really does suck knowing that, with all the progress we have made in recent history, there are still people out there who want us dead. [/rant]

Joe


	3. Chapter 3

_Sirens? What happened?_ Thought Timothy McGee as he struggled to maintain consciousness. All he knew were the sirens and the searing pain in his chest. He barely opened his eyes and saw bright, multi-colored lights and a man standing over him. The man looked frightened. _He's pressing on my chest. It hurts! What happened?_

The man standing over Tim was Bruce Mitchell. He had been at the Mariposa with some college friends, celebrating his new job as a trauma nurse at George Washington. The night had been going so well. They were enjoying the music and the cocktails, and each other's company. Then all hell broke loose. He took cover when he realized what was happening and only emerged when after the shooter had been taken down by the man he was desperately trying to save. He didn't know where any of his friends were, if they were still alive. All he knew is that the man who had likely saved them all was on the ground with two bullet wounds to his chest.

"Come on, hero! You've got to fight!" he said as he used his untested skills to try to staunch the bleeding and save Tim's life.

The ambulatory survivors were still scrambling for the exits, but a few took notice of Bruce and Tim.

"I need help!. This is the guy who saved us all! Get an ambulance!"

A few people in the crowd were brought of shock and realized what he was saying. This guy was a hero! He deserved all the help they could give. Two tried to help Bruce control the bleeding while a few of the others went in search of paramedics. There were so many there in need of help, but this hero seemed to take priority.

With the unbearable pressure being forced down upon his chest, Tim let out a groan. He remembered what happened. _Gunshots. Death. Hysteria. Abby…_

"Abby!" he barely choked out, loud enough to be heard by Bruce and the others. Then he fell back into unconsciousness. His chest stilled.

Without having chance to think of who this 'Abby' was, Bruce began CPR. Jaime, who had been helping to put pressure on the wounds continued holding them as Bruce performed chest compressions. It seemed to go on forever, but Tim took a gasping breath. Just then, the paramedics arrived and lifted him onto a gurney. They rushed him to the ambulance and hooked him up to the monitor to see a very unstable rhythm. They applied pressure dressings to the wounds and got two IVs going. They weren't far from the hospital. Hopefully they would be there in time.

XXXXXXXXXX

It was nearly three A.M. and Gibbs was asleep. It was one of the few instances that he made it to his bed instead of dropping on the couch. His cell phone began to ring and dance around his nightstand. Awake in an instant, he picked it up and answered.

"Gibbs."

"We have a case, Gibbs." came the voice of his youngest agent over the speaker.

"Bishop, what are you doing at the office at three in the morning?"

"I was following a lead on a cold case and I lost track of time. Got a call from the FBI five minutes ago. A Navy lieutenant shot up a gay nightclub just outside the city."

"Where?"

"I'll text you the location. I've already called everyone else. Ducky and Palmer are on the way in, but I couldn't reach Abby or McGee."

"Keep trying. I'll meet you there." and he shut the phone.

He got up and quickly dressed. He was out the door and in his truck in less than five minutes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gibbs arrived on scene at the Mariposa to utter pandemonium. The area was flooded with the FBI, Metro PD, and emergency medical workers trying to keep control over the situation. There was a triage area set up in the parking lot where EMS was trying to tend to the wounded. He looked at the black part of the setup and noted dozens of figures covered in black plastic. Then he spotted Bishop in a heated conversation with a Metro cop.

"You can have access to the scene once my people have cleared the building. Now would you just…"

"Once the building has been cleared, evidence will have been disturbed or lost. We need… '

Gibbs stepped in and Bishop sighed with relief. He pulled out his badge and held it up to the officer.

"Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS Major Case Response Team. We need access now."

"Like I was telling your agent…" The detective was interrupted by a familiar voice, "Jethro!"

Gibbs of course knew the voice and began walking toward it. It wasn't surprising that he'd be here.

"Tobias, tell these assholes that we need access, now!

Fornell looked over his frustrated friend and saw he was in no mood to be trifled with. He walked up to the detective and motioned for him to follow him. Gibbs then went over to talk to Bishop.

"Any word yet from McGee or Abby?" he asked.

"Nothing. I knew that she and McGee were going out somewhere tonight. They're probably just sleeping it off somewhere." she said as a scant smile formed at her lips.

"Well, keep calling. I'll have their asses if…" Gibbs rarely stopped mid-sentence, but what he thought he saw shook him to the core. He hoped he was wrong. He began walking away from Bishop toward a section of the parking lot. She followed.

"Gibbs. What's up? Where are you going?" she pleaded, trying to keep up with him as he broke into a run.

Gibbs ignored her. _No, it can't be!_ he thought as he stopped, staring at the back of a car bearing the license plate he knew all too well. _FRNS-ABS_ he thought. _Forensics Abbs_ he clarified in his mind. _No_.

He began running...no, sprinting back toward the building when he heard another familiar voice calling out his name. He turned to look at the triage tent and saw Abby with a yellow tag hanging from her neck. Again, he ran to her and brought her into a tight embrace. It was obvious that she

was hysterical.

"Abby, it's going to be all right. You're safe." He said, trying to sooth the scientist he thought of like a daughter.

Abby shook her head, still inconsolable. "You don't understand! Tim saved us, but he was shot! In the chest! He wasn't breathing when they took him away! They wouldn't let me leave. Please tell me he's going to be okay!" Tears were streaming down her cheeks, her mascara everywhere.

Gibbs had no words for her. His mind was racing with questions for which there were no answers. He just held on for a moment before he grabbed Abby and made a beeline for the sedan.


End file.
